N-Possible Coupler Announcement (Nashville 2022)

[wmcbride]

These couplers look great and the ability to install them into existing coupler boxes is a real plus.

I gave up on magnetic uncoupling about 35 years ago and just use a skewer/pic, so I am more than happy to continue to do that.

[w neal]

Therein lies the problem. We do not know that these couplers will fit in ALL existing coupler boxes. Nor, that they will all be the same height once installed. Let's see more examples.

[RAILCAT]

So, are the samples shown 3D printed or from plastic injection moulding?
And how far away are we to an assembled retail product?
Months, years?

[Sokramiketes]

So, are the samples shown 3D printed or from plastic injection moulding?
And how far away are we to an assembled retail product?
Months, years?

As stated in this thread, these are modified MTL true-scale couplers at this point.  So injection, but not new molds.  I'm interested in the spring, to see how manufacturable it is. 

When I was playing with the true-scale couplers and the scale boxes that @wcfn100 created, my first thought was, hey, there's really something here with the true-scale if the issues are fixed.  n-Possible seems to be the closest to fixing those, but without molds or production lined up, likely a year or two out?

[learmoia]

So we are Ooooohing and Ahhhhing over this new coupler and (so far) it's function is being demonstrated as a patent pending modification to a short shank Micro-Trains TSC?....   

[C855B]

I see no problem with that. The TSC has shortcomings that Andrew is making a serious effort to address - too much coupling force, poor swing, and lack of compatibility with molded-in coupler boxes. I, for one, welcome the effort. It saves me from doing something similar myself, something I do not have the time for.

[Maletrain]

I am a bit surprised that MTL has not already done this spring development thing, themselves.

Wondering if MTL tried the same thing and decided it was not profitable to manufacture, or what?

It does seem logical that some sort of collaboration would be cheaper to bring to market than doing new dies for the Npossible design completely independent of MTL.

On the other hand, new dies could make the MTL TSC (coupler) a bit more realistic in parts shape, to go along with the realistic size.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

So we are Ooooohing and Ahhhhing over this new coupler and (so far) it's function is being demonstrated as a patent pending modification to a short shank Micro-Trains TSC?....   

Yeah, and honestly, I'm not sure what MTL would think of them "leveraging" their intellectual property (and potential patents). I'm hoping that there have been conversations that we're not aware of about all that.

I'd hate to see this effort sunk by patent infringement. But it's something that I hope @turbowhiz is aware of and thinking about.

[Scottl]

MTL should buy the spring design and fold it into their offering. 

[learmoia]

MTL should buy the spring design and fold it into their offering.

Or sell the coupler tooling..

BTW.. they should sell the SW1500 to Atlas as well... unless they can re-gain a relationship on the mechanisms.

Yeah, and honestly, I'm not sure what MTL would think of them "leveraging" their intellectual property (and potential patents). I'm hoping that there have been conversations that we're not aware of about all that.

I'd hate to see this effort sunk by patent infringement. But it's something that I hope @turbowhiz is aware of and thinking about.

He hasn't profited off of it yet, and taking an existing product and (likely heavily) modifying it to function better is hardly patent infringement..... it's just a demonstration of proof in concept..

He's not creating a more realistic looking coupler using the Micro-Trains mechanism like Geomon did.

He just needs to take his mechanical design, and slap a coupler looking head on it..
.. It's likely dis-similar enough from the TCS (and hopefully dissimilar enough from Protomate) to avoid infringement.

[RAILCAT]

As this is a modification to the MT TSC coupler which appears to be a successful conversion . How about sharing the method in a "How to do it" so those that wish could have go at rolling their own?

Just how small is the spring?

[peteski]

As this is a modification to the MT TSC coupler which appears to be a successful conversion . How about sharing the method in a "How to do it" so those that wish could have go at rolling their own?

Just how small is the spring?

I'm also curious, but I believe that is the "secret sauce" of this design, so we'll probably have to wait until these are commercially available.

I suspect the springs are whisker type (could be curved like McHenry, or straight like TSC design, or somethgin in between), made from some very thin stainless steel or phosphor bronze wire.  Probably 0.1mm (0.004") or thinner.

[RAILCAT]

Is this project still alive?
All has gone quiet.

[learmoia]

Is this project still alive?
All has gone quiet.

@turbowhiz

[turbowhiz]

Most certainly this is still alive! I know it’s been quiet on the public front, but rest assured progress is being made behind the scenes.

I’m encouraging people to sign up for the mailing list at https://n-possible.com. Expect some surveys in the not-too-distant future, as inevitably I won’t be able to accommodate every possible configuration scenario day one.

Andrew